IPL 2026 Purple Cap Race Updated: Bhuvneshwar Kumar & Rabada Lead Wickets Chart After SRH vs RCB Clash

Sunrisers Hyderabad’s explosive batting may have grabbed all the headlines in their 55-run win against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, but the match also brought a major shift in the IPL 2026 Purple Cap race. Despite conceding 51 runs in a high-scoring game, RCB’s experienced pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar continues to maintain a narrow lead at the top of the wickets chart. Meanwhile, defending a massive total of 255, SRH’s young bowlers also impressed, with Ishaan Malinga (2/33) and Saqib Hussain delivering outstanding spells under pressure and strengthening their place in the top 10.

Ishaan Malinga’s two crucial wickets helped him climb to fifth place, where he is now tied with Mohammed Siraj at 17 wickets. Saqib Hussain, meanwhile, took the big wicket of Virat Kohli and has now increased his tally to 14 wickets this season. The league phase has entered its final stage, and Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Kagiso Rabada remain at the top of the Purple Cap race with 24 wickets each. This has made the battle for the most wickets before the IPL 2026 playoffs even more exciting.

IPL 2026: Most Wickets